Agroecology designs sustainable agroecosystems by applying ecological and agronomic concepts and principles. Ecosystem services functional to crop growth (e.g. soil quality, pollination, natural pest control) are maximised through appropriate resource management and farming practices. The use of synthetic inputs is reduced to the minimum or eliminated. The nutrient cycle is closed at the farm gate or through exchange of inputs (e.g. manure) and outputs (e.g. feed) within neighbouring farms. Such design addresses the whole agroecosystem in all its aspects, jointly: soil, water, trophic chains of plants, pests and their predators, biogeochemical cycles, etc.

Agroecology has the unique comparative advantage to avoid incurring into negative externalities (to air, biodiversity, soil, and water) linked to specialisation, simplification of farmland, intensification and mechanisation.  The adoption of agroecological practices at farm level contributes to improve crop yields, reduce farming costs, increase smallholder farmers’ incomes, enhancing food security and resilience to climate change. Moreover, it can be a vector of improved socio-economic resilience for rural communities.

In 2019, the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security issued the report “Agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition” which describes the nature and potential contributions of agroecological and other innovative approaches to formulating transitions towards sustainable food systems (SFSs) that enhance Food and Nutrition Security. In 2021, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)  endorsed the related Policy Recommendations.

The UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in 2021 has identified nature-positive production and agroecology in particular, as one of the systemic levers for change toward more sustainable food systems. As part of the post-summit activities, an international Coalition for food systems transformation through Agroecology has been set up to support the large-scale adoption of agroecological practices.